Shuttle brake mechanism for looms



Nov. 10, 1953 Filed Aug. 16, 1951 C. CASALS DURAN SHUTTLE BRAKE MECHANISM FOR LOOMS 2 Sheets-Sheet l NVVE/V T E C cflsms 00mm ATT'QRNEY NOV. 10, 1953 c s s DURAN 2,658,532

SHUTTLE BRAKE MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed Aug. 16, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 & FLQ I m W 41+ PM A- TTQRNE Y3.

Patented Nov. It), 1953 UNITED STATES PTENT OFFICE SHUTTLE BRAKE MECHANISM FUR LOOMS Cristobal Casals Duran, Sabadell, Spain, assignor to Telares Casals Duran, S. A., Sabadell, Spain 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a new braking mechanism for the shuttle of a loom, and provides a uniform braking action of constant value to stop the shuttle always at the same point within the loom box, so that the shuttle is provided with the same impulse at each pickingoperation.

In mechanical looms it is of great importance to brake the shuttle efficiently, particularly in automatic looms with weft changing devices. In the systems now in use, considerable diiliculty has been met in retaining and holding the shuttle at a precisely predetermined point in the box, as desired, and this has caused difficulty in replacing the spool or the shuttle. In an ordinary loom a slight difference in the positioning of the shuttle causes a loss of power and a loss in velocity in the next throwing operation, and consequently introduces the risk of breaking the thread and causing other damage which follows.

The mechanism according to the present invention avoids the above disadvantage, and makes it possible to obtain higher shuttle and throwing speeds due to the uniform braking action with which the shuttle is stopped at a precisely predetermined point, each time it enters into the receiving box.

A main feature of the invention resides in a discharge lever arrangement to actuate the binder of the box, in such manner that the binder does not begin to exert pressure until the shuttle attains a particular entering relationship on its way into the box. A discharge member is so disposed and arranged to normally withhold the binder away from the braking position, to permit the free entrance of the shuttle into the box. This member is disposed in such manner that it is actuated directly by the shuttle when the shuttle reaches a previously determined point of location within the box.

Upon being actuated by the shuttle, the member causes the binder to apply a braking force against the shuttle, to stop the shuttle always at the same position with respect to the box, and thereby assuring the regulation of the subsequent ejection of the shuttle. This facilitates the proper action of the auxiliary mechanisms for the automatic changing of the spools as well as other operations that require an exact position ing of the shuttle in the box.

A buffer device is joined with the discharge mechanism and disposed at the end of a lever articulated on an axle, in such manner that the buffer device projects outwardly through one of the walls of the box in an internal recess therein, or it may be located behind the picker. The axle is actuated for rotating a fraction of a turn through a connecting rod, or an arm and an eccentric or by other means. This lever on the axle is connected to a sliding rod which retains a pressure arm disposed to apply by spring means against the binder, in such manner that on the advancing of the shuttle into the box, it comes into operation on arriving at a predetermined point of entry. The curved end of the shuttle strikes the buffer causing the rotation of the lever which in its turn withdraws a retention rod permitting the pressure arm to apply pressure against the binder.

An object of the invention is to provide a shuttle brake mechanism for a loom in which the shuttle entering the shuttle box actuates a discharge lever arrangement to control the operative braking engagement of the binder against the shuttle, the discharge lever comprising an axle, adjustable lever arrangement arms mounted thereon, spring means to actuate said lever arms, a disengaging rod to retract the lever arms from a brake engaging position on the binder and a buiier device to adjust the position of the disengaging rod, so that a uniform braking action of the binder isobtained to stop the shuttle at a predetermined position in accordance with the entry of the shuttle into the shuttle box and to thereby facilitate repetition of said braking action in a uniform manner upon a repetition of the picking operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a shuttle mechanism with the above mentioned discharge lever arrangement and buffer device which accurately positions the shuttle in a predetermined rest position after braking by the binder, so that losses in power and losses in velocity in the subsequent throwing operation as well as damage to the thread are minimized by virtue of the improved transmission of power to the accurately positioned shuttle at rest prior to its next moving engagement.

Other and further objects of the invention will appear from the more detailed description set forth below and the accompanying drawings, the description and drawings having been given by way of illustration and explanation and not by way of limitation, since changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side view of the braking mechanism according to this invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the invention.

Figure 3 is a plan view to show a modified form of the invention.

With reference to Figs. 1 and 2, i8 is the box of the shuttle that is fitted, in the conventional manner, with the binder i l disposed to be applied laterally upon the shuttle I2.

Later-ally of the box there is provided the support l3, upon which is articulated the lever M which can turn around the axle I5, said lever extending itself through an opening of the boxand having at its end a small roller I6. To this lever is attached an end of the rod I? which other end is guided between the rollers It and i9 sup ported by the plate 20.

The lever M is under the action of a spring 2| and withheld by a butt member 22 in the position shown in Figure 2, with its end I Gprojecting through the wall of the shuttle box.

On the exterior part of the shuttle box, is provided the support 23 (Fig. 1) that supports one end of the axle 24. The other endof said axle is supported on a structure not shown. The axle 24 carries the collar 25 fixed by a pressure screw or other means, and the axle also carries the arm 26 loosely fitted, and which extends upwards under the action of a spiral spring 25 wound on the axle and fitted to the collar, this spring tending to press the head 29 of the arm fitted with a regulating screw against the exterior surface of the binder.

The arm 26 on its upper part has an extension that supports the roller 30 which applies against the projecting end of the rod 11, this being the arm maintain d out of contact with the binder.

Adjacent arm 25 there is a second arm 3! fitted with a head provided with a regulating screw 32, this second arm extending behind a finger 33 which projects laterally from the first arm 26. The pressure on the binder is exerted simultaneously by the two arms 25 and 3 I. Both these arms are connected together by the finger 33 projecting from the arm 26, the finger pressing against the back of the arm 3|.

The arm M is fixed on the axle 24 an this axle, through an eccentric device not shown in the drawings, is made to rotate a fraction of a turn pulling backwards the arm 3|. The arm 26 is loosely fitted on the axle 24 and submitted to the action of a spring 28 which tends to press it to the binder, when the pressing action on the arm 3! is disengaged.

Consequently, when the arm 3| moves back, it pushes the arm 26 outwardly and both arms move a art from the binder. This movement takes place when the shuttle is stopped in the box, at the moment before the picking, so that the ejection of the shuttle is substantially free and Without friction. The arm 29 is retained out of contact by the rod 11.

When the shuttle enters into the box, and its front end reaches the place of the lever l4, it strikes with the roller !5 of same and displaces said lever towards the left (Fig. 2) to move the rod ll and disengage the pressure arm which applies its head and also the arm 3| against the binder to thereby provide uniform braking action of the same force and intensity. After the braking action, the arm 3| is moved by the above mentioned eccentric (not shown) outwardly and pushes the arm 26 outwards to leave the shuttle free for the next picking. As soon as the shuttle is expelled from the box, the lever l4 returns to its normal position by the action of the spring 2! and the rod l1 returns again to place itself in front of the arm 26 retaining it in loading position for the next discharge.

Figure 3 shows a similar construction in which the shuttle does not act laterally on the discharge lever, but by its end or head and with the intermediate of the picker 35. To this effect, a support. l3 supports a discharging lever ML situated on the outside part of the loom and articulated on the axle I5 of such support. The end 16' of this discharging lever remains situated behind the picker 35. on.straight line with the middle of the box, in a way that the shuttle l2 acts by its point or. end against the picker and this pulls the discharging lever; Said lever in similar manner as the previous. case is attached to a rod H of a sufiicient length, that retains the pressure arm 26, and which has the'same disposition and assembly that has previously been described.

The mechanism according to the invention, gives the advantage that as the braking action is not initiated on the entering of the shuttle in the box as in the ordinary systems, but only on the shuttle arriving at a predetermined point insertion in said box, a binder operatively applying a braking action against the side of'the shuttle, a discharge lever arrangement controlling the operative braking engagement of said binder against said shuttle into said box, said discharge lever arrangement comprising a lever support, an axle mounted on said support, a lever arm fixed on said axle, a second lever arm rotatably mounted onsaid' axle, finger means connecting said lever arms, spring means connected to the rotatable lever arm to press said lever arms against the binder to actuate said binder in accordance-with a predetermined rotational position of said axle, means to rotate said axle to retract said lever arms and permit the ejection of said shuttle from the box, a disengaging rod engaging said arms in retracted position, and a buffer device mounted on said shuttle box to adjust the position of the disengaging rod relative to the shuttle box.

2. A shuttle brake mechanism as in claim 1 wherein said bufier device is provided with a roller member projecting inside of said shuttle box, and said roller member is operatively connected to said lever arms to disengage said lever arms from said binder when the shuttle is received into the shuttle box.

3. A shuttle brake mechanism as in claim 2 wherein said buffer device is located behind said lever arms to be actuated upon the entry of the shuttle into the shuttle box.

CRISTOBAL CASALS DURAN.

References Cited in' the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 344,450 Knapp June 29, 1886 760,929 Simms May 24 1904 818,034 Laforet Apr. 17: 1906 1,609,809 Gascon Dec. 7, 1926 1,819,946 Damico Aug. 18, 1931 

